Nigerian engineer accused of $4.7M fraud for lavish Hawaii wedding

A federal grand jury has indicted Banjo Popoola, a Nigerian-born building inspector employed by the City of St. Louis, Missouri, on charges of wire fraud allegedly involving the manipulation of over $4.7 million in government contracts.

Prosecutors allege that Popoola exploited his official position to steer lucrative city contracts toward companies connected to his wife and sister, while personally pocketing kickbacks that funded an extravagant lifestyle — including a lavish wedding ceremony in Hawaii for his second wife, vehicle purchases, gambling, and housing expenses.

According to the indictment, the scheme ran between 2021 and 2024, during which Popoola allegedly directed more than $4.7 million in contracts to the connected firms. Federal prosecutors say he personally gained no less than $1.6 million from the arrangement, at times cashing cheques directly in his own name.

Central to the charges is the allegation that Popoola repeatedly certified government projects as completed when the work had either not been carried out or was never executed at all.

The indictment, referencing city rehabilitation programmes, Stable Communities STL and Prop NS states that contracted firm Farst failed to perform the required work, yet Popoola falsely confirmed to the City Comptroller that all work had been fully and properly completed.

Authorities further allege that despite declaring no personal ties to the contracts in official filings, Popoola’s claims were knowingly false, given his ongoing financial interests in both Farst and Premier, the companies involved.

Popoola now faces three counts of wire fraud. Federal prosecutors are also seeking the recovery of at least $1.6 million in allegedly ill-gotten gains.

The case highlights growing scrutiny of public officials who abuse their procurement authority for personal enrichment at the expense of city-funded community programmes.

The charges remain allegations. Popoola is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.